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How To - Treat suede

Polishing time: 15 minutes
Difficulty: Easy


Check the bottom of this page to see all the products we used in this guide!

This guide explains in a few simple steps how to clean up your suede shoes. If you need a more in depth guide on how to take care of your suede shoes we recommend checking our blog.

1. Clean tough stains and built-up dirt 

Suede shoes are easily cleaned with the Saphir Gommadin  – a sandstone that won’t harm or damage the suede. It will, however, remove grease and other stains. By gently rubbing the suede with the Gommadin, it will detach stains and sticky substances from the suede. That way the ‘eraser’ will remove soiling, stains, grease and watermarks from you shoes while restoring the leather’s original texture. If you have a stain on your suede shoes, all you need to do is rub it with the Gommadin until the stain slowly disappears. 

2. Wash

The best way to wash your suede shoes is to  use Saphir Omninettoyant– a special shampoo for suede, nubuck, crepe and textiles that will remove stains and refreshed the original colour without affecting the suede. Mix 1/3 Omninettoyant with 2/3 water, and rub the mixture royally into the leather with the provided brush that comes with the product. When you’ve used the cleaner all over your shoes, you can rinse them with water. Use a small brush to remove soap residues. Brush until the suede doesn’t foam anymore. Adterwards, leave your shoes to dry completely; put the shoe trees inside or fill them with newspaper to maintain the shape. Don’t try to quicken the process by leaving them under the radiator or other sources of heat since that can damage the nap of the suede. When they are dry, use the crepe brush to roughen the suede and brush the hairs of the suede in the same direction for a nice, smooth look.

3. Nourish and protect

Spray your suede shoes with a natural protection spray like the natural protector spray by Saphir once a month for protection. Stay away from nano or silicone based sprays because they will damage the leather in the long run. Apply the spray evenly, holding the can approx 15 cm from the shoes while applying to get an even layer over the whole shoe. Don’t forget the area where the sole meets the upper, as this is an area most exposed to water and dirt. Let the suede soak in the nourishing spray and finish gently with a crepe brush.

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